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About Us
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| What we do: |
- We are a health promotion and prevention-based sexual and reproductive health program designed to provide people with tools and skills to plan healthy, well-timed and intended pregnancies. We work to assure that a full range of family planning, sexual and reproductive health services are available across the state.
- Our mission is to promote and protect the sexual and reproductive health of Oregonians by:
- Assuring statewide access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services;
- Providing accurate and current information and resources;
- Developing and supporting effective plans, policies, and projects; and
- Gathering and evaluating data to assess invidual and community health needs.
- We provide funding and technical assistance to a network of Local Family Planning Clinics (pdf) who deliver:
- HEALTH SERVICES, including physical exams, cervical and breast cancer screening, pregnancy testing, STD testing and treatment, dispensing of birth control methods and more.
- HEALTH EDUCATION AND COUNSELING about reproductive and preventative health concerns including breast/testicular self-examination, birth control, STD/HIV risks, infertility, pregnancy counseling, and domestic violence.
- We provide health information and referral services through a state-wide toll-free information and referral number - 1-800-SAFENET.
- We also promote community services, make referrals and linkages to community resources, collect and analyze data, identify gaps in existing services, advocate for reproductive service development, and educate community groups on a broad range of reproductive health topics.
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| Why we're here: |
- Oregon data shows that 49% of pregnancies are unintended at the time of conception. While many unintended pregnancies result in happy children supported by healthy families, as many as 30% of such pregnancies end in abortion. For unintended pregnancies that are continued, the risks of health problems during pregnancy and infancy, of economic disruption for families, and of a host of other social problems are greater than for pregnancies that are planned.
- The consequences and costs of unintended pregnancy are not borne by the babies or their families alone. In Oregon, as in the rest of the country, we all pay the price in terms of lower educational achievement for parents and children; increased health care and welfare costs; and a less highly trained and productive work force.
- The Office of Family Health's commitment to reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancies in Oregon has its source in the Institute of Medicine's "Best Intentions" study and the Governor's Teen Pregnancy Prevention Action Agenda.
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